Electoral field

Characteristics of school financing

The rules of school financing may be summed up by four characteristics:

It is necessary to obtain an authorization to be able to collect contributions and incur election expenses. For example, a person who undertakes to be an independent candidate in municipal elections can obtain an authorization from us beginning on January 1st of an election year.

Only electors can make contributions to candidates, and only out of their own property. These contributions are limited, per year, to a sum of $300 per person who submitted his nomination paper. In addition to the contributions received from electors, an authorized candidate may, during the fiscal year of the election, make a contribution whose total does not exceed $700, for their own benefit.

Once the election period has begun, a sum of money, goods or services used to promote or oppose, directly or indirectly, a candidate is an election expense. Election expenses are limited by the Act so that the candidates running for the same position have similar means to carry out their election activities.

Out of a concern for transparency, authorized independent candidates must file financial reports which notably make it possible to find out their sources of financing. Within a time limit stipulated by the Act, candidates must also file a return of election expenses after the election. All of these reports and returns are submitted to the director general of the school board and are public documents; this includes the list of all the individuals who made contributions of over $100.

Authorized election expenses are reimbursed in full if a candidate was elected or received at least 15% of the votes cast in his electoral district.